Today, there don’t seem to be very many developments about the story. The police are on heightened alert. But was the plot supposedly uncovered genuine, and if so, to what extent? that remains unanswered. All that’s definite is that the President has canceled her Saturday trip to Baguio. The country’s top brass, however, will all be there. And defensive preparations, almost certainly, have been beefed up by the government: Hillblogger recounts the purchase, under Cory Aquino, of short-range surface to air missiles.

That is why, in my view, GMA missed her chance of closure and proving herself clean by killing the impeachment process. It’s like Erap’s gang was able to prevent openning that envelope. If not, it could even have helped him prove his innocense. Instead, it proved to be the start of his downfall. Could it be the same with Gloria?

Even if we argue that in the court of law (or impeachment) that accussations against GMA will not stick, it will not matter anymore. People have made up their mind either for or against her.

Even if people are against her(80% according to some surveys), how many are actually actively calling for her to stand down? I would guess not many, but if a tipping point is reached, I would also think that they will troop to the streets again. What will bring about the tipping point? I don’t know.

Joey, i would speculate that each one of us are doing our best to care for ourselves and families first, once we have done that, we involve ourselves with issues of national interest (if we have love for country). People calling for Gloria’s ouster are doing their personal stuff too using their personal skills. But asking for GMA to resign is a national issue that they think would be good for the country. You just happen to think differently.

Geo

“Her continuation under the present scheme of things, with all legal and constitutional avenues firmly blockaded, will limit foreign investment only to those willing and even eager to bargain with her, and to a society that will reap only the trickle down benefits of those who must by necessity, give the lionÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s share to the president and her pals.”

***That is patently false. I can personally attest to the fact that foreign investors have created businesses and mass employment here without dealing with the President, her immediate entourage or any high-level members of the administration.

In addition, the huge number of Pinoys who are participating in these foreign investments are decidedly middle class. The “extra” benefits obtained by the creation of these jobs are known as “the multiplier effect” — as the increase in middle class, white collar jobs means an increase in this group’s consumption of goods and services…many of them provided by D class Pinoys.

Geo

“nowÃ¢â‚¬Â¦to a more realistic solution: prevent cha-cha, overhaul comelec and then letÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s wait for the peopleÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s verdict come election year 2007.”

***That is a very reasonable statement. It’s within the law; it is based on using the voting procedure to settle the nation’s debates on policies. Comelec can and should be improved, especially via the creation of automated polls. Davide is a widely-respected figure who should also be able to raise the overall composition and performance.
————————————-

You also wrote:

“as to your Ã¢â‚¬Å“campÃ¢â‚¬Â of choice, geo, we are polarized”

***I disagree with this characterization. I’ve come to a kind of self-realization: I’m increasingly anti-opposition while still refusing to simply buy whatever Malacanang spits out. I’m increasingly anti-opposition because it increasingly steps outside the boundaries of the law…leading to the present environment where violence is possible and foreign (and local) investment is possibly being scared off.

Simon

The more you react the more you sound like Gloria Arroyo’s sounding board… all your reasonings and arguments… TRUTH and HONESTY and JUSTICE are lesser considerations for you and can be sacrificed without thinking at the altar of MONEY and ECONOMY…. THE SAME THING GLORIA IS NOW MOUTHING… ECONOMY and INVESTMENTS are sublime. You would rather sell your SOUL for MONEY.

I suggest you just remain true to a businessman’s amoral stance… Do business with the establishment and don’t engage in politics. Be a skindeep Gloria apologist now and another skindeep apologist’ later. That should be your creed. And that would keep you less misunderstood and you would be true to yourself at least. But pls don’t pretend….

Pls don’t attempt to mislead us that you are neutral, independent-minded and principled because your writings betray the kind of person that you are and all your pretensions have simply just reduced you to a creature worst or equal to the CHEAT you are trying to defend.

Your statement “I believe IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m a concientous and realistic citizen” is what is a BS and self-righteous statement. Pls do look at yourself in the mirror again because it is hard to see oneself if you are inside the mirror.

Finally, a sitting president is immune from any suit while she sits as president. She can only be accused of wrongdoings thru an impeachment proceedings. So forget about your Ombudsman stuff (as said office has no jurisdiction to hear charges against govt. functionaries removable only thru impeachment under the present Constitution) and about your other illegal confusions. And pls be informed that the Senate’s function during impeachment proceedings is its constitutional function and there is nothing illegal about it. You are putting forth arbitrary judgments against the Senate and again betrays your prejudice and false neutrality.

Pls do ask your lawyer about the above and do read the present Constitution.

SIMON

The Filipinos’ march to genuine change in our society begins today with the removal of a fake and corrupt acting president who does not deserve the smallest respect from every decent Filipino.

She has no HONOR and the Filipino soldiers are doing what is simply right in the eyes of God to help remove a fake leader. A decent soldier does not have the obligation to receive orders from a fake leader and in removing Arroyo, they willjust be expressing their unity with 80% of the Filipinos demanding that the shameless and calloused Arroyo step down.

It’s funny, but who comprises the opposition now? It seems that everybody has gone silent. Lacson, Estrada (in hospital), Angara (gone to admin side), Legarda (left with writing letters to Inq7), Cory?. Who is the opposition? They’re pathetic.

Are they following what Gloria did? You know, stay safe in the sidelines until pushed to sit in the throne?

As I have given up on Gloria, I’m betting on a better leader to replace her. It’s like betting on an unknown evil instead of a known one. If the new one is proven to worse? It will be time of waiting again for that desired one who can deliver on our aspirations.

Simon

Let us not despair about what happened today. This is just the beginning of GloriaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s eventual downfall. Because what happened today magnified to a certain degree ArroyoÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s anti-democratic and anti-people nature. It also exposed her 90% dependence on the military establishment. Let us that at least to 80% of the Filipinos, Gloria is already discredited and has been unmasked as a fake and corrupt leader. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s just a matter of getting our acts together. We can already discern the tentativeness exhibited by our military leaders because by their actions in supporting what is immoral they cannot avoid experiencing inner contradictions. Supporting a fake and corrupt Arroyo and not being true to their conscience is a heartrending experience. No one can cheat himself and the military leaders will sooner feel the pulse of the people and their misplaced loyalty to a greedy leader. Remember, during the Marcos dictatorship, the military also experienced years of self-contradiction before embracing the Ã¢â‚¬Å“to thy own self be trueÃ¢â‚¬Â realization. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s just a matter of time for Arroyo to fall. Let us persevere, expose ArroyoÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s corruption more and let us consolidate our courses of actions against Arroyo.

Let us rejoice as we have exposed by the rallies today that Arroyo after all is the antithesis of all that EDSA People Power stands for. Our numbers are becoming bigger. Even Bishop Soc Villegas has already come to realize that the woman benefited by the EDSA 2001 belongs to a class of Ã¢â‚¬Å“pimps and rapistsÃ¢â‚¬Â who easily forgot their victims after getting what they wanted.

[…] I’ve posted plenty here on the President’s relying on all the wrong things to stay in power; and her reliance on the police as the ultimate safeguard of her power (together with a small cabal of generals not known for their military skills, but rather, their political abilities or police experience: former police and Constabulary generals, such as Ebdane andÃ‚Â form part of her innermost circle). So literally, a police state has been in operation for some time (see Ellen Tordesillas’ blog which has the skinny on Nonong Cruz). […]